1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the transfer of pane objects, such as glass panes, from a conveyor to another device, especially a bending form.
2. Background of the Prior Art
It is known that during bending operations for glass panes, said panes are transferred, from a horizontal conveyor on which they arrive, to a bending form, with a transfer device that shifts said panes vertically, seizing them on the intake conveyor, lifting them, then releasing and/or bringing them down anew, and laying them on the bending form which meanwhile was installed beneath the transfer device.
Such transfer devices are described for instance in patents EP No. 3391 (Mc MASTER patent) FR No. 2 085 464 (SAINT-GOBAIN patent).
The gripping of the glass panes takes place usually as a result of a suction which occurs either through the holding means of the transfer device (EP No. 3391) or basically at the periphery of said mechanism (FR No. 2085 464).
Such a transfer device displays the inconvenience of placing the upper side of the glass panes in contact with the surface of the holding means, which can produce optical defects on the glass, harm the upper side of the glass panes or for instance harm their enamel coating.
It also exhibits the inconvenience of adding to the gravity effect which intervenes when the glass pane has been transferred onto the bending form, an inertia effect, because of the difficulty in transferring the glass pane by placing it delicately on the form, without making it fall.
Furthermore, such a device requires extensive machinery to ensure motion of the holding means and said motions require a certain amount of time that restricts the rate on the one hand, and has a prejudicial impact on proper glass tempering which usually follows bending.